Learn How to Prevent Costly Freeze Breaks

December 12, 2018

One of the most common causes of freeze breaks in your building has to do with insufficient heating.

One of the most dangerous aspects of winter is the freezing temperatures that it brings. These temperatures present a hazard to you, your employees, and your customers. It can also be a risk for your building, especially when freeze breaks happen. Here are some pointers for how to prevent costly freeze breaks.

Common Causes of Freeze Breaks

Insufficient heating: One of the most common causes of freeze breaks in your building has to do with insufficient heating. Every part of your commercial building, no matter what industry you are in, needs to be properly heated. If sprinkler pipes are still wet when they burst, the moisture that is still present can freeze.

Insulation problems: Freeze breaks are also commonly caused by insulation problems. This winter, you need to make sure all of your building’s insulation is in good condition. Any room or corridors served by a wet pipe sprinkler system need to have additional insulation to keep them from freezing.

Sprinkler placement: Be mindful of where sprinklers are placed. Speak with your fire protection partner to see if your current system can be rearranged or altered depending on your building’s needs. It’s possible that the sprinkler pipe is in an inconvenient location that leaves it exposed to cold weather.

Drainage failures: You should drain your building’s sprinkler pipes at least once per quarter. This can help prevent freeze breaks once winter weather arrives. Consult with your fire protection partner on how to do this.

What to Do

Unfortunately, the risks and hazards presented by freeze breaks aren’t always easy to detect. Many times, you won’t know something is wrong until an accident has happened. That’s why it is necessary to turn up the heat and keep your building warm enough. Then you should also:

Conduct inspections: Looking for cracks or breaks in windows can help prevent cold air from affecting your sprinkler pipes. Make sure all the doors are properly sealed and that the siding on the siding of the building is cared for as well. Then make sure that pipe hangers are repaired so that pipes remain in position.

Add signaling devices: You might also benefit from adding signaling devices that activate when temperature get too low. These operate much like the alarms that can signal when temperatures get too high, which could indicate the presence of a fire.

Fire Protection Services from Fireline

Whether you need smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, or an automatic sprinkler system installed at your commercial property, Fireline has you covered. We have been protecting people and properties from fire damage since 1947—and our experience shows in our excellent work! We are known for our wonderful customer service, our expertise, and our reliability. For more information on how we can help your residential or commercial property, visit us online or give us a call at (800) 553-3405. We are located in Baltimore, MD, with a second office in Leesburg, VA. For more fire safety tips, be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google+.